Cigar



m? i F35? Jan. 16, 1962 R. D. TOUTON 3,016,903

CIGAR Filed April 25, 1960 24 FIG. 4.

INVENTOR. 34 RUSH D. TOUTON ATTOR N EYS 3,016,903 CIGAR Rush D. Touton,Wynnewood, Pa., assignor to Wurton Machine Company, Philadelphia, Pa., acorporation of Pennsylvania Filed Apr. 25, 1960, Ser. No. 24,427 Claims.(Cl. 131-11) This invention relates to a cigar having a cone shapedhead, prepared for insertion in the smokers mouth. Such cigars arecomposed of an interior filler, comprising the major portion of theproduct, and which is normally prepared of a number of pieces oftobacco, some of which may be relatively small. This filler will beencased in a spirally rolled binder, which may be of natural tobaccoleaf or of a sheet formulated from tobacco materials. This binder may besupplemented by a reinforcing strip wound into the assembly at the headend, to provide greater moisture resistance and assurance of retentionof the shape. The final component of thiscigar is the external wrapperwhich has many characteristics of appearance, in addition to itsrequirement as a compressing envelope to hold the entire cigar and,especially, the cone shaped head end.

In the present procedure of cigar manufacture, the binder is rolled onthe cigar in a straight tube form, and a mechanical shaper squeezes thebinder and/ or the reinforcing strip into the cone form prior toapplication of the final Wrapper. This abrupt shaping of the head causesserious bulging and irregular creasing as the materials are forcedinwardly into the reduced diameter at the head. The delicate wrappertobacco is then required to assume the burden of holding the deformedend of the tube in its final form.

There is a strong tendency for the comparatively inflexible andimperfectly folded portions to straighten out, thus opening the Wrapperat the cone shape-d end of the cigar so that particles of filler arethen free to be drawn into the smokers mouth. This opening action isaccentuated by the indentations made in the cigar during smoking, and isaccelerated by the external and internal moisture added to the head endduring the smoking operation.

In accordance with this invention, means are provided to accommodate thebinder and/or reinforcing strip into an overlapping pattern withoutdeformation during the squeezing operation, thus creating an internallysmooth shape, and reinforcement due to the lamination sections incidentto the overlapping pattern.

The invention will be further clarified on reading the followingdescription in conjunction with the drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a cigar in accordance with thisinvention showing the structure of the binder sheet;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of a cigar in accordance with thisinvention showing the binder sheet in position showing the constructionof the reinforcing strip;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the cigar of FIG- URE 2 showing thereinforcing strip in final position and the wrapper partially placed onthe cigar;

FIGURE 4 shows the completed cigar;

FIGURE 5 illustrates schematically one method of reducing the diameterof the head of the cigar; and

FIGURE 6 shows schematically an alternative method of reducing thediameter of the head of a cigar.

As shown in the figures, a cigar 2 in accordance with this invention isprovided with a spirally wrapped binder sheet 4'. The edge of bindersheet 4 adjacent the head 8 of cigar 2 is provided with scallops 6.Tobacco filler 10 is contained within binder sheet 4. As seen in FIG-URE 2, when the tip end of wrapper sheet 4 is wrapped States atent 03,016,903 Patented Jan. 16, 1962 about the head 8 and the head isreduced in diameter by means conventionally employed for this purpose,scallops 6 will overlap to accommodate for the reduced diameter andthereby eliminate folds in the reduced head end of binder sheet 4 andprovide greater strength due to the multiple thickness provided. Bindersheet 4 will be made of any of the materials conventionally employed forthis purpose, such as for example, binder leaf tobacco or formulatedtobacco sheet material preferably composed of tobacco or tobaccobyproducts.

As best seen in FIGURES 2 and 3, a reinforcing strip 12 may be wrappedaround the head end of binder sheet 4 and adhered thereto by an adhesiveindicated at 14. Strip 14 is provided with scallops 16 along its headedge. Before adhesive 14 sets, the cigar is again placed in theapparatus employed for reducing the diameter of the head end whichconforms strip 12 to the remainder of head 8 and causes scallops 16 tocome together and overlap in a laminated manner to accommodate for thereduced diameter without the production of objectionable folds and toincrease structural strength of the head by reason of the multiplethickness provided by the overlapping scallops. If desired, the firstreducing step after positioning the binder can be eliminated and onlyone reducing step employed after the reinforcing strip is positioned.The adhesive, if applied in excess, will filter inwardly and providebetter stability by binding together particles of filler tobacco andpreventing their entry into the smokers mouth.

The reinforcing strip will be made of a moisture resistant, nontoxic,substantially odorless and tasteless material, for example a natural orsynthetic resin desirably containing a substantial amount of comminutedtobacco. Suitable materials are, for example, regenerated cellulosepolyvinyl acetate, polyethylene, polytetraethylene (Teflon) and nylon.Similarly the adhesive will be a damp proof, nontoxic, substantiallyodorless and tasteless mate rial, such as for example, gum tragacanth ornylon, both of which materials are readily applied when liquified inethyl alcohol and water. When the reinforcing strip is a thermoplasticmaterial, it may be heat sealed to the binder.

A wrapper 20 is then spirally wound on to the cigar, the wrapper 20being provided with a conventional flag end 22 to form a smooth tightwrapping about the reduced diameter tip 8. To complete the cigar, a hole24 can be retained or placed in the head end of the cigar.

Since apparatus for reducing the diameter of the head of a cigar iswell-known, it is believed that this operation as referred to above neednot be set forth in detail. A typical structure for reducing thediameter of a cigar head is illustrated in FIGURE 5 Where there is showna paraboloid-shaped cup 30 mounted on a shaft adapted to be rotated.While the cup is rotating, the cigar 2 in a partial state of completionas discussed above is introduced into the interior of the cup and forcedtoward the bottom of the cup to produce the desired reduced diameter.Another typical apparatus is schematically illustrated in FIGURE 6 wherethere is shown a die member 34 provided with an arcuate face 36 and amoving die member 38 adapted to roll the head end of a cigar 2 againstsurface 36 and thus reduce the diameter of the head.

It will be appreciated that the foregoing structure can omit theemployment of the reinforcing strip and that when the reinforcing stripis employed it may be desirable to have either one or both of the binderand the reinforcing strip scalloped as described above.

It is not desired to be limited except as set forth in the followingclaims.

What is claimed is:

1. A cigar comprising a binder sheet having a scalloped edge adjacentthe head end of the cigar, a tobacco filler contained within said bindersheet, and a wrapper overlying said sheet and said strip, the head ofsaid cigar being of reduced diameter and said scallops being overlapped.

2. A cigar comprising a binder sheet, a tobacco. filler contained withinsaid binder sheet, a reinforcing strip secured to the head end of saidcigar and having scallops on the edge extending peripherally about thehead end of the cigar, and a wrapper overlying said sheet and saidstrip, the head of said cigar being of reduced diameter.

3. A cigar comprising a binder sheet, a tobacco filler contained withinsaid binder sheet, a reinforcing strip secured to the head end of saidcigar and having scallops on the edge extending peripherally about thehead end of the cigar, and a wrapper overlying said sheet and saidstrip, the head of said cigar being of reduced diameter and saidscallops being overlapped.

4. A cigar comprising a binder sheet having a scalloped edge adjacentthe head end of the cigar, a tobacco filler contained within said bindersheet, a reinforcing strip secured to the head end of said cigar andhaving scallops on the edge extending peripherally about the head end ofthe cigar, and a wrapper overlying said sheet and said strip, the headof said cigar being of reduced diameter.

5. A cigar comprising a binder sheet having a scalloped edge adjacentthe head end of the cigar, a tobacco filler contained within said bindersheet, a reinforcing strip secured to the head end of said cigar andhaving scallops on the edge extending peripherally about the head end ofthe cigar, and a wrapper overlying said sheet and said strip, the headof said cigar being of reduced diameter and said scallops beingoverlapped.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

1. A CIGAR COMPRISING A BINDER SHEET HAVING A SCALLOPED EDGE ADJACENTTHE HEAD END OF THE CIGAR, A TOBACCO FILLER CONTAINED WITHIN SAID BINDERSHEET, AND A WRAPPED OVERLYING SAID SHEET AND SAID STRIP, THE HEAD OFSAID CIGAR BEING OF REDUCED DIAMETER AND SAID SCALLOPS BEING OVERLAPPED.